Thoughts on Grading Cards...

[Leon]

Originally Posted by DBesse27

Leon, you're a hobby veteran, so I'm surprised, but you're mixing up "eye appeal" and "technical grade." It's a beautiful card, but PSA's grading standards state that if a card exhibits a clearly visible crease, it will get a PSA 2 or lower. That is black & white and not open to opinion. But again, the card is gorgeous, and exhibits eye appeal that FAR exceeds the technical grade. I believe that in an auction the card would sell for much more than other PSA 2 copies of the same card. But that does not mean it is not technically graded correctly as a 2. A card can be both a beautiful specimen and a PSA 2. These 2 attributes are not mutually exclusive.

Actually, not to be too much of a hardhead but You are wrong about a crease, to start with, according to the written standards. Not that it matters but this "crease" is a wrinkle as there is NO creasing on the back, it's a wrinkle. Even if it were a crease it wouldn't matter it should still be a higher grade ACCORDING TO PSA'S WRITTEN RULES. It should have easily been a 3 imo.....

I am surprised of the pushback and apparent ignorance of PSA's written standards on the PSA grading of the Mantle. It is clearly misgraded to me but of course I am bias. I am surprised though, the PSA advocates don't know these guidelines by heart. From their website-

"A PSA VG 3 card reveals some rounding of the corners, though not extreme. Some surface wear will be apparent, along with possible light scuffing or light scratches. Focus may be somewhat off-register and edges may exhibit noticeable wear. Much, but not all, of the card's original gloss will be lost. Borders may be somewhat yellowed and/or discolored. A crease may be visible. Printing defects are possible. Slight stain may show on obverse and wax staining on reverse may be more prominent. Centering must be 90/10 or better on the front and back."

Even when going to a PSA 4 their site says "A light crease may be visible."

With those standards this card easily qualifies for a 3 possibly a 3.5, imo......


.